Journal: Psychatrixhttp://www.tylerboudreau.com/journal-psychatrix/en-US2010-03-12T13:12:31ZSquarespace Site Server v5.9.2 (http://www.squarespace.com/)DONE!http://www.tylerboudreau.com/journal-psychatrix/2009/9/9/done.htmlTyler Boudreau2009-09-09T19:00:22ZDone and home again. Should have posted this a while ago...sorry about that.

Good to be home again...now for the real mountains...LIFE!

Crossing the finish line in Northampton, MA

]]>Single-Digit Midgethttp://www.tylerboudreau.com/journal-psychatrix/2009/8/22/single-digit-midget.htmlTyler Boudreau2009-08-22T19:30:31ZWith the the rain, and the mountains, and all these damned squiggly roads, Pennsylvania has generally sucked, BUT, admittedly, I've had some bad-ass down hill rides.

AND...

I was, as of yesterday, only 9 days away from home; I am now officially a "single-digit midget" or in military parlance...I'm short.

SO...

Overall, I'm happy...just a little worn out.

Entering Pennsylvania

]]>In the Zonehttp://www.tylerboudreau.com/journal-psychatrix/2009/8/16/in-the-zone.htmlTyler Boudreau2009-08-16T17:33:01ZBroke into the Eastern Time Zone. Arrived South Bend to another great group of folks. Swooped over to the Notre Dame campus for a quick look at Touchdown Jesus who towers above the Irish football stadium.

Off to the Big Apple now via OH, PA & NJ. 11 days of straight riding, no rest; all business from here to NYC.

The heat/humidity is getting up there these days. But the calendar is getting short. Soon I'll be a single-digit midget!

]]>Fargo, ND to Rockford, ILhttp://www.tylerboudreau.com/journal-psychatrix/2009/8/9/fargo-nd-to-rockford-il.htmlTyler Boudreau2009-08-10T02:26:52ZBeen super-lazy about blogging.

In a nutshell: Minnesota was surprisingly beautiful--Twin Cities seemed very cool. The riding was easy-going, the weather was mild. All good.

Wisconsin is really gorgeous, I mean more so than I imagined, really pleasant. Very pastoral. Very quiet.

Madison was a great town. Lots of people came out to ride with me a while; lots more joined me at the Java Joint. Thank you. I enjoyed myself a lot.

Thanks Rothschild!

Thanks Eileen!

I just may return there someday.

Riding into Madison, WI

The ride down toward Rockford was...ummm...not as great. It was a "4H" day. Headwind, Hills, Heat & Humidity. Lots of sweat.

Into Chicago next..."the windy city" they call it, which is fine as long as its blowing my way.

]]>Bismarck to Fargo, NDhttp://www.tylerboudreau.com/journal-psychatrix/2009/7/25/bismarck-to-fargo-nd.htmlTyler Boudreau2009-07-25T20:23:49ZHopped 80 miles to Jamestown on 7/23 then the final 98 miles the next day to Fargo. The days were actually not too terrible. The night in that mosquito infested (and humid) rest area in Jamestown was worse.

I'd planned to stop another night before Fargo, but favorable conditions  can make one kind of greedy for mileage. Had the wind at my back, finally, and flat terrain--Webster flat, not "Montana Flat".

Two miles short of a century, I wanted to circle the block a couple of times to get the even hundred...but my legs voted against it. Being outnumbered, I relented--democracy in action.

As I rode into Fargo, I kept looking for scenery from the popular movie by the same name. Turns out, it was filmed in Minnesota. (???)

Laying over here for a couple of days and resting easy knowing that ND is under my belt. Next, to Minnesota; I'll continue my quest for "Fargo" scenes there.

]]>113http://www.tylerboudreau.com/journal-psychatrix/2009/7/21/113.htmlTyler Boudreau2009-07-21T17:15:21ZI wanted to do at least one century before the end of this trip--yesterday was the day.

Did a straight run from Dickinson to Menoken (outside of Bismarck)...that's one hundred and thirteen miles to be exact.

 

]]>Montana Flathttp://www.tylerboudreau.com/journal-psychatrix/2009/7/19/montana-flat.htmlTyler Boudreau2009-07-20T03:35:29ZWebster Dictionary Definition of FLAT:

"Having a continuous horizontal surface without peaks or depressions." (This is the version I've always been comfortable with.)

Montana Definition of FLAT:

Any surface with a grade not as steep as the Rockies. (It appears North Dakotans use this definition as well.)

Climbed about a 1000 feet on Saturday...that's "Montana Flat".

Looking down from approx. 3000 feet toward the North Dakota border

]]>Windhttp://www.tylerboudreau.com/journal-psychatrix/2009/7/14/wind.htmlTyler Boudreau2009-07-14T13:09:40ZDay 29, on the other hand, smooth sailing. Wet but fast.

Compare: 75 miles on D-28, 11.5 hours. 75 miles the next day, 5.5 hours. For the non-cyclists out there...like me...lets you know how much difference the wind can make!

]]>Gut Checkhttp://www.tylerboudreau.com/journal-psychatrix/2009/7/13/gut-check.htmlTyler Boudreau2009-07-13T05:51:59ZDay 28: 75 miles...earned every damned inch.

]]>Tenthttp://www.tylerboudreau.com/journal-psychatrix/2009/7/9/tent.htmlTyler Boudreau2009-07-10T03:17:10ZAs part of my whole minimalist thing, I made a risky move today--dumped the tent...shipped it on home...among a bunch of other superfluous items. I really needed to make some space for extra water as I begin my move across North Dakota where one does not find frequent water fountains or anything else for that matter.

I feel like I'm bare bones now, but no doubt I'll keep stripping until I'm down to the marrow.

It was a good tent

There is some anticipated regret in this plan, naturally, but relative to the anticipated relief of dropping the tent's space and weight, I believe this will utlimately be a wise reduction.

We'll see.

...and, yes, I have a decent bivy sack.

Departing Helena in the a.m., in Bozeman by 7/11 and Billings by 7/13. About 250 miles...still on a relatively light schedule. The intensity draws up as I get on past Bismarck and toward Fargo.

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